Amid renewed clashes in Mali, jihadist groups and Tuareg separatists have reportedly taken control of the strategic northern town of Kidal.
According to local sourced, the takeover followed coordinated attacks on military positions across key areas.
The development comes after two days of heavy fighting between Malian government forces and jihadists allied with Tuareg rebel groups, further deepening instability in the junta-led West African nation.
Reports indicate that several strategic locations, including areas around the capital Bamako, were targeted in a dawn offensive on Saturday.
“We have left Kidal. We are no longer there. It’s the jihadists and the FLA (Azawad Liberation Front) who are in Kidal”, a source close to the governor said.
The FLA, a separatist group pushing for autonomy in northern Mali, claimed “total control” of Kidal over the weekend, describing it as a major setback for the country’s military authorities.
In a televised address on ORTM on Sunday, the Malian army chief of staff announced a “readjustment” and “redeployment” of troops in the Anefis area, about 100 kilometres from Kidal.
Kidal, long considered a stronghold of pro-independence movements, was previously under rebel control for years before being retaken by Malian forces in November 2023 during an operation backed by Russian Wagner mercenaries.
The latest developments signal renewed instability in northern Mali and raise further questions over the junta’s ability to maintain control in the region.
